2026 AOMA Spring Conference
2026 AOMA Derby Days
April 22, 2026 | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Potawatomi Casino Hotel | Milwaukee
Keynote Speaker: Ryan Lavarnway
Run Your Race: The Why Not Mindset for Sustainable Excellence
Ryan Lavarnway is proof that resilience, adaptability, and determination can lead to incredible success - no matter the odds. As someone who’s been added to and removed from Major League Baseball rosters more than anyone else in history, Ryan’s story isn’t just about success—it highlights the power of perseverance. Overcoming every obstacle, he built an impressive 10-year MLB career as a catcher, became a World Series Champion, and competed as an Olympian.
Ryan now brings his winning mindset beyond the diamond as a speaker and mentor, inspiring teams and individuals to unlock their potential through adaptability, resilience, and self-belief.
Conference Agenda
Vendor/Sponsor Set-Up - April 22
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Maintenance Track:
9:00 AM - 9:50 AM
Description
Apartment Track: How to Have Tough Conversations
9:00 AM - 9:50 AM
Description
Maintenance Track
10:00 AM - 10:50 AM
Description
Apartment Track
10:00 AM - 10:50 AM
Description
Doors Open - Visitation with Vendors
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Lunch
11:15 AM - 12:30 PM
Vendor Presentations
12:30 PM - 1:25 PM
Keynote Address: The Why Not Mindset
1:30 PM - 2:35 PM
In the Kentucky Derby, every horse breaks from the same starting gate. Same track. Same distance. But only one wins — and it’s rarely the one distracted by the competition. It’s the one disciplined enough to run its race. Excellence doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built through mindset, ownership, and the daily habits that hold up under pressure. Former Major League catcher, World Series Champion, and Olympian Ryan Lavarnway shares the Why Not Mindset™ — a practical framework for leading yourself and your team when the stakes are high and the outcome isn’t guaranteed. Drawing on 15 years in professional baseball — including 26 career cuts and 124 professional transactions — Ryan delivers a powerful message about resilience, accountability, and sustaining performance over time.
In this keynote, audiences will learn how to:
• Focus on what they can control — and release what they can’t.
• Take ownership of performance, especially when conditions aren’t ideal.
• Build habits that create consistency and trust.
• Reframe pressure as an opportunity to raise the standard.
With humor, humility, and hard-earned credibility, Ryan delivers more than inspiration — he delivers a mindset that lasts long after the applause. Your audience will leave energized and aligned, ready to stop asking, “Can we?” and start saying, “Why not us?
Keynote Address: TBD
2:45 PM - 3:50 PM
Description
Visitation with Vendors/ Networking Reception
4:00 PM - 5:15 PM
Event Location
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